Here we are in the third month of the New Year. We all start out with great expectations, but, unfortunately, far too many of us come up short of our goals by the end of the year. One of the main reasons? Unrealistic expectations.

So, how about a reality check today?

Basically, our minds operate in two worlds – the subjective world and the objective world. Are you operating in the real world of achievement or in the fantasy world of impossible dreams?

The objective mind is unbiased and sees things as they really are. This world is built in concrete and based on facts and undisputable realities. The subjective mind is biased, loosely plays with the facts and builds its reality around hopes, personal opinions and interpretations of the facts.

It’s a bit like that old fairy tale involving the three little pigs and the big bad wolf. The objective mind would have built the house made of bricks to shield itself from the big bad wolf. The subjective mind would have built the house made of straw or sticks, and we all know who won that battle.

I urge you to think about which of these two minds govern your thinking. We tend more toward one than the other. And even though we need to employ both at various times, operating in the objective mind is key to accomplishing things. Action, drive and dealing with reality ultimately get the job done.

I’m reminded of the lessons learned from the space shuttle Challenger disaster. The cause of the 1986 tragedy was identified as a failed rubber O-ring because of extremely low temperatures in Florida that day.

The investigative committee offered three basic guidelines to NASA to prevent another similar accident. Those guidelines are appropriate here to encourage you to operate more from your objective mind to accomplish more in 2014:

1. You must deal in reality.

2. Reality must take precedence.

3. Mother Nature cannot be fooled.

As you continue your journey into 2014, incorporate more objective thinking into achieving your goals. All great accomplishments start out as hopes and dreams in your subjective mind, but the real work takes place in the reality of the objective mind. Perhaps the mantra for reaching your goals this year is this: Lose your mind and come to your senses.